CentralAZ
Today 657 people live in this town, first settled in 1886.
Is Central a good place to live?
38% of residents are under 18 in Central, above both the Arizona town median (21%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). No town among the 141 in Arizona we compare has a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Central. Central’s density of trails is 5.0 miles per square mile, where Arizona’s towns sit at 1.1 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Central has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
657 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Central: who provides what
Central is unincorporated, so Graham County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Central.
With only 0.5 jobs per working resident, most people in Central work out of town
Central’s median household income is $97,000. Commuting out is the norm here: 1% of working residents work locally. It had 129 jobs in 2023, up 98 from 2013. The top destinations are Safford (29%), Thatcher (17%) and Phoenix (9%).
| Central | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $97,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards: low risk in Central, mostly inland flooding
Only 8 of the 141 Arizona towns we compare have a lower natural-hazard score from FEMA than Central. FEMA puts 45% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 35% to heat waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 73% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The climate in Central brings mild winters and hot summers
The midsummer high for Central comes to 100°F. July afternoons reach 100°, January nights drop to 31° and snow is almost unheard of.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Central is
For adults in Central, the share who have diabetes is 9.6%. Among adults locally, 73% had a checkup this year and 32% have high blood pressure.
| Central | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.6% | 13% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 75% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 36% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 24% | 25% |
| What stands out | Central | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 9% | 13.2% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.4% | 14.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0% of Central is conserved land
Trails total 8.5 miles in 1 park or preserve. Central has one park or preserve, 2 acres in all.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Central Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Central
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Central
About 6 of every 100 Central residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Arizona.
99% of working residents leave Central for work
Where Central’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Central
CDP in Graham County, Arizona
Central is a census-designated place in Graham County, Arizona, United States. Its population was 758 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Safford micropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,884 ft
- ZIP code
- 85531
- Area code
- 928
Questions about Central
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Central, AZ a good place to live?
Central has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.